Nottingham Forest miss out on Stefan de Vrij transfer

Nottingham Forest have missed out on the signing of Stefan de Vrij, with the defender choosing to join Panathinaikos instead. The Greek side has reached a full agreement with the 34-year-old after he accepted their offer of a one-year deal, plus the option of an additional 12 months.

What happened?

Stefan de Vrij became a free agent at the end of the 2025-26 campaign after he decided not to extend his contract with Inter Milan. Nottingham Forest had long been linked to de Vrij, but will now have to move on to other targets ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Why it matters for Nottingham Forest

The defender's quality and experience would have no doubt made him one of the best players at the club, and he could have gone on to have a massive impact in the dressing room. As of 28 Jun 2026, Nottingham Forest are 16th in Premier League, with 44 points from 38 games, and a recent form of DLDWW.

What comes next?

Now, Vitor Pereira will be looking to move on from this saga as quickly as possible as he looks to put together a side capable of marching back up the Premier League table for the 2026-27 season. Nottingham Forest have been heavily linked with Roma defender Jan Ziolkowski, and a deal is reportedly likely to be completed, despite the two clubs being far apart in their current valuation of the 21-year-old this summer transfer window.